Get Out of Your Career Rut: How to Take the Next Step Up the Ladder

Are you ready for more responsibility (and a pay rise to match)? Do you feel as if you’re always being overlooked for promotions or rejected for jobs? Or are you thinking about exploring engineering job opportunities? It’s easy to decide that your boss or industry recruiters don’t see your potential. Alternatively, there are a few things you can do to get a boost. Today we are going to provide a few tips on how to give yourself a career-ready makeover for those looking for a much-needed promotion or better career.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska

 

Collect Relevant Qualifications

Never say no to work-based training if you can help it. If you’re looking for a promotion, be aware that your boss will always prioritize dedicated, motivated individuals – and they’ll need to have the certificates to match. Try to sign up for as much training as you can. After all, many of the qualifications and skills you’ll receive will be transferable, so if you don’t get much further with this particular organization, you can use them to look much more impressive to a different employer. Alternatively, seek out courses outside of work that will bolster your skills and know-how. Take evening or weekend classes, and to avoid the financial burden you can apply for a private student loan for graduate MBA school and take on a full-time course.

 

Revise Your Resume

Check through your resume for any little flaws, including spelling mistakes and formatting problems. Seemingly simple issues like this can be enough for recruiters to reject your application. Look online for templates to emulate so that you can be well-presented. Now go through precisely what you’ve said about each job. It should be easy to determine a clear timeline and a well-ordered list of skills from your resume, as well as the necessary details of previous employment.

Get others to critique your CV and give you tips. It’s incredible how much this will help.

 

Practice Your Communications Skills

How do you come across in an email? On the phone? In-person? Think about what employers and recruiters would like to see in an applicant. Of course, this all needs to be within the scope of your unique personality and preferred approaches. If you feel like you’ll have to play a character every day to suit a position, the job isn’t for you—research buzzwords and terminology as well as subjects to avoid. Also consider any potential negatives you might end up discussing, such as being fired from a previous job. There’s such a thing as being too honest, so think of an understated way to put things and don’t let your emotions get the better of you. If you’re hoping for a promotion, be sure to present the perfect case, and that means advocating for yourself eloquently and authentically.

Look in the Right Places

Consider seeking career advice from a specialist; they may be able to point you in the right direction. Sometimes, the key is something as simple as asking around. Employers tend to trust the recommendations of people they know, so if a friend of yours already works for a specific company, you’re somewhat more likely to be taken on if they mention your name. Perhaps you’re just applying for the wrong things. Some careers take time, so it might be worth aiming somewhere between your current level and the one you’ve been eyeing.

Remember, this isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon run by you. So take your time, plan your moves and always remember that knowledge truly is power.

 

 

Jessica Alexander

Jessica Alexander

I've always loved to write, but I'd never want to be famous. So, I write as Jessica A. over here at ADDICTED. You can think of my like Carmen Sandiego, you trust me, but where in the world am I?
Jessica Alexander

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